Solderless terminal strip connector assembly

ABSTRACT

A solderless electrical connector assembly for joining one or more wire leads to a terminal. The assembly includes a base or terminal block member constructed of insulating material such as polypropylene or the like, and one or more terminal strip members slidably associated therewith. Each terminal strip is provided with slots or apertures to accommodate one or more wire leads such that the terminal strip may be moved relative to the terminal block member to clamp said leads therebetween in conductive association with the terminal strip.

United States Patent Robert W. Sebastian Villa Park, Ill.

Feb. 14, 1969 Sept. 28, 1971 Molex Products Company Downers Grove, Ill.

[72] Inventor [21 Appl. No. [22] Filed [45] Patented [73] Assignee [54] SOLDERLESS TERMINAL STRIP CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY 7 Claims, 14 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 339/198 R, 179/1 15.5 VC, 339/97 R, 339/253 R, 339/273 F [51] Int. Cl l-l0lr 9/00, H01r 7/06 [50] Field 01 Search 339/198,

273, 95, 96, 97, 98, 247, 253 F, 253 L, 214, 119, 150; 179/115.5 VC

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1936 Gilben 2,702,895 2/1955 Pavlinetz 339/253 2,906,828 9/1959 Carbonneau 179/1 15.5 VC 2,965,874 12/1960 Modrey 339/176 3,110,329 11/1963 'Lhomme et a1. 140/1 3,148,012 9/1964 Patton 339/256 SP Primary Examiner-lan A. Calvert Assistant Examiner-Robert A. Hafer Attorney-Olson, Trexler, Wolters & Bushnell ABSTRACT: A solderless electrical connector assembly for joining one or more wire leads to a terminal. The assembly includes a base or terminal block member constructed of insulating material such as polypropylene or the like, and one or more terminal strip members slidably associated therewith. Each terminal strip is provided with slots or apertures to accommodate one or more wire leads such that the terminal strip may be moved relative to the terminal block member to clamp said leads therebetween in conductive association with the terminal strip.

SOLDERLESS TERMINAL STRIP CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The preset invention pertains to an electrical connector assembly, and more particularly to a solderless connector for joining one or more wire leads to a terminal.

In situations where relatively thin tinsel wire leads are used and there is a necessity that these leads remain flexible, certain problems have been encountered when a standard soldertype connection is employed. For example, in the manufacture of loudspeakers it is necessary that the relatively thin voice coil leads remain flexible after they have been joined to a terminal for subsequent connection with the amplifier leads. The problem encountered with the standard solder type connection is that the liquid solder will tend to flow along the length of the wire due to capillary action, once the solder hardens the flexibility of the wire lead is destroyed and there is a distinct danger of breakage. This phenomenon is referred to in the art and hereinafter as wicking.

Of course, the solderless electrical connector of the present invention is not limited to use in the manufacture of loudspeakers, but can be employed to great advantage in the connection of wires to multi-junction terminal boards or the like. The wicking" problem obviated by the present invention has long been recognized in the art and is inherent in lead-to-lead connections as well as in the aforementioned lead-to-terminal connections. With regard to the former type of connection, one of the prior art practices was to employ a wire nut to join the two leads together. These wire nuts are normally formed of plastic and are threaded or turned on the ends of the wire leads to twist them together. It is envisioned that the present invention may be employed as an alternate to the wire nut type connector, with the two wireleads joined to a common tenninal strip.

In addition, directing attention again to the situation where the leads from a voice coil are joined to a terminal, when a solder-type joint is employed it is necessary to provide leads of sufficient length so that there is enough slack to permit the assembly line worker to manipulate the wires in fabricating the joint. Also, the length of wire provided must be such that after the joint has been fabricated the wire leads are slack, otherwise, if in a taut condition breakage could result during handling in the assembly operation. Furthermore, a certain amount of slack is essential to allow movement of the voice coil during operation of the loudspeaker. Accordingly, in the manufacture of a large number of speakers, the saving in wire can be considerable where the solderless-type connection of the present invention is employed, as opposed to the standard solder-type joint.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a solderless electrical connector assembly that obviates many of the problems encountered when a standard solder-type connection is employed.

More specifically, the present invention provides a solderless electrical connector, which includes a terminal block member, and one or more terminal strips slidably associated therewith for relative movement. Each of said terminal strips includes a slot or like means to provide for reception of a wire lead, whereby upon relative movement said leads will be clamped between the terminal block and the strip, in conductive association with said strip.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a partial plan view of a loudspeaker with the voice coil leads in position to be joined to the solderless connector assembly of the present invention; the upper portion of said figure illustrating the mode of fabricating said solderless connector.

FIG. 2 is a partial top plan view similar to FIG. 1 and illustrating a modified connector strip arrangement that may be employed.

FIG. 3 is a partial top plan view of the loudspeaker of FIG. 1 after the terminal strips have been moved relative to the terminal block to effect clamping of the wire leads therebetween.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the electrical connector of the present invention positioned on the mounting tongue of the speaker basket, with the elements thereof shown in position prior to relative movement therebetween.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4, in the general direction indicated.

FIG. 6 is a partial, enlarged perspective view of the electrical connector of the present invention showing the elements thereof in position after clamping has been effected.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the underside of the solderless electrical connector of the present invention with the elements thereof shown in position after assembly has been effected.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 6, in the general direction indicated.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a terminal board employing a modified form of the solderless electrical connector of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of the terminal board of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 9, in the general direction indicated.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the electrical connector arrangement of FIG. 9 with the elements thereof and a wire lead shown in position preparatory to joining of said lead thereto FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the connector arrangement illustrated in FIG. 12 after the terminal strip has been moved relative to the terminal block to effect clamping of the wire lead.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the terminal strip illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 13.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1 there is illustrated a loudspeaker, designated generally 10, which includes a voice coil I2, a pair of wire voice coil leads 14, a speaker basket 16 and electrical connector arrangement 18 to which leads 14 are to be joined. The illustration of FIG. 1 is that of the elements prior to final as' sembly so that the wire leads I4 are in their final position, but are not as yet clamped in conductive association with the connector arrangement 18.

The mode of fabricating and assembling the electrical connector 18 is illustrated in the uppermost portion of FIG. I. Said electrical connector I8 is comprised primarily of a terminal block 20 and a pair of conductive terminal strips 22 slidably associated therewith. The tenninal strips 22 are sheet metal stampings which are produced in a chain link form and then severed for assembly to a tenninal block 20.

Terminal block 20 is molded from a nonconductive material, such as polypropylene or some other plasticlike material, and as illustrated in the drawings includes essentially three distinct portions, viz, end sections 23 and 24, and central section 25.

The terminal strip members 22 are formed of a conductive material. To provide for connection of the voice coil leads I4 to the respective terminal strips 22, each is provided with means for receiving the end of a wire lead, the embodiment of FIG. 1 employing a notch 28 formed in an edge of the terminal strip 22. thereto.

The construction of the electrical connector assembly 18 is best viewed with reference to FIG. 4 which is an enlarged perspective view of said solderless connector. As can be seen, the terminal block 20 is provided with a tracklike recess or passageway 30 which permits same to be slidably mounted upon the elongate tongue 26 of the speaker basket I6. The respective terminal block end sections 23 and 24 are each provided with a through passageway 32, within which a terminal strip 22 is slidably mounted.

In FIGS. 3 and 6-8, the solderless electrical connector of the present invention is illustrated in the assembled or clamping position. A hooklike tool 34, or some other similar tool, may be employed to effect relative movement of the terminal strips 22 with respect to the terminal block 20. The elements of connector 18 in the clamping position can best be viewed in FIG. 6 which is an enlarged illustration of one-half of connector 18.

Upon comparing FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 it can be seen that the terminal strips 22 have been moved relative to the terminal block 20 and that this has caused the notches 28 with the bared wire leads 14 engaged therein to be received within the passageways 32. As can be seen in FIG. 8, which is a sectional view of connector 18 in the clamping position, the bared wire lead 14 is clamped between the contiguous surfaces of the terminal block 20 and the terminal strip 22 To maintain the terminal block 20 and the terminal strip 22 in the clamping position, terminal strip 22 is provided with a flexible tongue 38 which is struck out of the surface thereof and which is designed to engage against a shoulder 40 formed on the terminal block 20. Thus, once the respective elements 20 and 22 have been placed in the clamping position, the connector cannot be disassembled unless the tongue 38 is biased upwardly to clear shoulder 40.

In FIG. 2 a modified form of the connector shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 is illustrated. The embodiment of FIG. 2 differs from that previously discussed only in the means for providing for reception of the wire leads 14, that is to say instead of the notches 28, terminal strips 22 are provided with T-shaped tongues 42 struck out of the surface thereof. As illustrated, the wire lead 14 may be wrapped around the T-shaped tongue 42 and assembly effected in the same manner as previously discussed.

If desired, means may be provided to fix the positioning of terminal block 20 on the elongated tongue 26. Directing attention to FIGS. 4 and 5, it can be seen that tongue 26 is pro vided with an aperture 44 while terminal block 20 has a lug 46 formed on the lower surface of track 30. The lug 46 is provided with a tapered leading surface so that as the elongate tongue 26 is received within track 30 it will slide easily thereover until lug 46 snaps into aperture 44. Once this happens, further movement in the same direction is hampered, while movement in the opposite direction is impossible due to the shoulder 48 on lug 46 engaging the peripheral wall of recess 44.

In order to protect against overclamping of the wire leads 14 the terminal strip 22 may be provided with stop means in the form of the right-angle flange portion 22'. Accordingly, once said portion 22' engages the end face of block 20 continued relative movement is precluded, and overclamping of the wire lead 14 is prevented. To provide for the connection of additional wires or leads to strip 22, said strip is provided with one or more apertures 50.

FIGS. 9 through 14 illustrate a modified form of the connector of the present invention, used in conjunction with a terminal board, said arrangement designated generally 52. Terminal board 52 is comprised of an elongate terminal block member 54 having a plurality of through passageways 56 in which there are slidably mounted connector strips 58. In FIGS. 9-12, the respective elements of terminal board 52 are shown in position prior to assembly, with FIGS. 11 andl2 being sectional views taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 9; FIG. 13 being a similar view illustrating the arrangement in the clamping position.

In addition to the passageways 56. terminal block 54 also includes a channel 60 associated with each of said passageways and terminating in shoulder 62. Also, along the front or forward edge of terminal block 54 there is provided an upstanding flange 64 that is slotted or recessed at 66.

Connector or terminal strip of which is shown in perspective in FIG. 14, is of generally L-shaped configuration, and quite similar to terminal strip 22 previously discussed. The mode of assembling or joining a wire lead to said terminal strip 58 is illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13. In this regard, terminal strip 58 is provided with one or more apertures which will receive the bared end of a wire lead 72. Accordingly, once the wire lead is in position, as shown in FIG. 12, the terminal strip 58 is moved relative to the terminal block 54 to the position illustrated in FIG. 13 wherein the wire lead will be clamped or crimped between the tapered surfaces 74 and 76 of the passageway 56, and the upper and lower surfaces of terminal strip 58.

Additionally, connector strip 58 is provided with a flexible tongue 78 struck from the body thereof such that in the clamped position said tongue 78 will engage shoulder 62 to preclude withdrawal of the terminal strip 58 from terminal block 54. Also, in order to prevent overcrimping or clamping of wire lead 72, said strip 58 is provided with stop means in the form of the upstanding end flange 58'. Again referring to FIG. 13 it can be seen that upon advancement of terminal strip 58 inwardly of the terminal block 54, the upstanding flange 58' will be received within the notch 66 and will abut against the end portion thereof to preclude further inward movement and thereby control the wedging or clamping force exerted on the wire leads 72.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is envisioned and to be understood that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention which is defined by the claims appended hereto.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A solderless electrical connector comprising, a tenninal block constructed from insulating material, said terminal block having a through passageway including an entrance end and an opposite end, a terminal strip of conductive material slidably mounted in said passageway and including a portion thereof projecting outwardly of the terminal block at said/em trance end, means on said terminal strip portion for loosely receiving a lead wire for projecting outwardly from said entrance end, said through passageway having a height adjacent said entrance end which is only slightly larger than the thickness of said terminal strip, such that upon engagement of a lead wire in said means for receiving same and movement of said said entrance strip relative to said block to dispose said portion within the passageway, said terminal strip and said block will cooperate to wedge the lead wire between the terminal strip and the wall of said passageway to establish electrical contact between said lead wire and said terminal strip, said terminal strip having a flexible lug and said terminal block having a preformed shoulder, said lug being positioned so as to engage said shoulder upon said movement and thereby maintaining said terminal block and terminal strip in the wedged position.

2. A solderless electrical connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said entrance end of the passageway is tapered and cooperates with the terminal strip portion to wedge said lead wire into conductive engagement with said terminal strip.

3. A solderless electrical connector as defined in claim I, wherein said terminal strip includes a stop portion disposed at an angle to said terminal strip portion and at an end thereof and said terminal block has a recess that receives said stop portion to limit movement of the terminal strip in said passageway with respect to one direction relative to said block.

4. A solderless electrical connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said block includes a channel opening to said opposite end and in communication with said passageway, said channel terminating to define the lug engaging shoulder, whereby a tool may be disposed in said channel to disengage said lug thereby permitting withdrawal of said terminal strip.

5. A solderless electrical connector comprising a terminal block having a tracklike means for slidably receiving an elongated tongue and means for cooperating with the tongue to secure the latter in said tracklike means, said block also including terminal-strip receiving segments which are integrally formed with said tracklike means, each tenninal-strip receiving segment including a through passageway, a terminal strip slidable in each passageway and having means for receiving a lead wire such that upon movement of the terminal strip relative to said block in its associated passageway, a lead wire will be wedged between the terminal strip and an adjacent wall of the passageway to effect electrical contact with said terminal strip, and cooperating means on each said tenninal strip and its associated receiving portion to maintain the two parts assembled, each said tenninal strip having end portions projecting outwardly beyond opposite ends of its associated passageway, one of said outwardly projected portions of each tenninal strip having said means for receiving a lead wire and the other said portion including means for attachment of a conductor thereto and also by which the terminal strip may be grasped to efiect said relative movement.

6. A solderless electrical connector according to claim 5 in combination with a loudspeaker having a speaker basket with an elongated tongue slidably received in said tracklike means, and a pair of wire leads extending from a voice coil, said wire leads being respectively received by the wire-receiving means, said means cooperating with said tongue comprises a resilient protuberance, and said tongue has a recess received by said protuberance upon relative sliding movement of the block and tongue to retain said tongue assembled with said block.

7. A solderless electrical connector comprising a terminal block constructed from insulating material, said terminal block having a through passageway including an entrance end and an opposite end, a terminal strip of conductive material slidably mounted in said passageway and having a first portion thereof projecting outwardly of the terminal block at said entrance end with means on said first tenninal-strip portion for loosely receiving a lead wire, a second terminal-strip portion projecting outwardly beyond said opposite end and means on said second terminal-strip portion by which the terminal may be grasped to effect movement thereof relative to said terminal block, said through passageway having a height adjacent said entrance end which is only slightly larger than said terminal strip such that upon engagement of a lead wire with said means for loosely receiving same and upon movement of said terminal strip relative to cause said first portion to enter said passageway, said lead wire will be wedged into electrical contact with said terminal strip by the walls of said passageway, and cooperating means on said tenninal strip and said terminal block for maintaining said terminal strip and said terminal block in wedging position, said means being releasable to permit withdrawal of said terminal strip.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 609 652 Dated S t b 28 92] Inventor(s) Robert W. Sebastian It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 1, line 6, change "preset" to --present-- C01. 3, line 74, after "strip" insert -58,-- and omit --of- Col. 4, line 44, change "said entrance" to --terminal-- Signed and sealed this 2nd day of May 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

D A D .FLEICHER,JR. ROBERT G-OTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM'DC 00376-969 ORM PO-105O (10-69] v u s, covcmmzm Pnnmm: orncc ans o-ass-su 

1. A solderless electrical connector comprising, a terminal block constructed from insulating material, said terminal block having a through passageway including an entrance end and an opposite end, a terminal strip of conductive material slidably mounted in said passageway and including a portion thereof projecting outwardly of the terminal block at said entrance end, means on said terminal strip portion for loosely receiving a lead wire for projecting outwardly from said entrance end, said through passageway having a height adjacent said entrance end which is only slightly larger than the thickness of said terminal strip, such that upon engagement of a lead wire in said means for receiving same and movement of said terminal strip relative to said block to dispose said portion within the passageway, said terminal strip and said block will cooperate to wedge the lead wire between the terminal strip and the wall of said passageway to establish electrical contact between said lead wire and said terminal strip, said terminal strip having a flexible lug and said terminal block having a preformed shoulder, said lug being positioned so as to engage said shoulder upon said movement And thereby maintaining said terminal block and terminal strip in the wedged position.
 2. A solderless electrical connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said entrance end of the passageway is tapered and cooperates with the terminal strip portion to wedge said lead wire into conductive engagement with said terminal strip.
 3. A solderless electrical connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said terminal strip includes a stop portion disposed at an angle to said terminal strip portion and at an end thereof and said terminal block has a recess that receives said stop portion to limit movement of the terminal strip in said passageway with respect to one direction relative to said block.
 4. A solderless electrical connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said block includes a channel opening to said opposite end and in communication with said passageway, said channel terminating to define the lug engaging shoulder, whereby a tool may be disposed in said channel to disengage said lug thereby permitting withdrawal of said terminal strip.
 5. A solderless electrical connector comprising a terminal block having a tracklike means for slidably receiving an elongated tongue and means for cooperating with the tongue to secure the latter in said tracklike means, said block also including terminal-strip receiving segments which are integrally formed with said tracklike means, each terminal-strip receiving segment including a through passageway, a terminal strip slidable in each passageway and having means for receiving a lead wire such that upon movement of the terminal strip relative to said block in its associated passageway, a lead wire will be wedged between the terminal strip and an adjacent wall of the passageway to effect electrical contact with said terminal strip, and cooperating means on each said terminal strip and its associated receiving portion to maintain the two parts assembled, each said terminal strip having end portions projecting outwardly beyond opposite ends of its associated passageway, one of said outwardly projected portions of each terminal strip having said means for receiving a lead wire and the other said portion including means for attachment of a conductor thereto and also by which the terminal strip may be grasped to effect said relative movement.
 6. A solderless electrical connector according to claim 5 in combination with a loudspeaker having a speaker basket with an elongated tongue slidably received in said tracklike means, and a pair of wire leads extending from a voice coil, said wire leads being respectively received by the wire-receiving means, said means cooperating with said tongue comprises a resilient protuberance, and said tongue has a recess received by said protuberance upon relative sliding movement of the block and tongue to retain said tongue assembled with said block.
 7. A solderless electrical connector comprising a terminal block constructed from insulating material, said terminal block having a through passageway including an entrance end and an opposite end, a terminal strip of conductive material slidably mounted in said passageway and having a first portion thereof projecting outwardly of the terminal block at said entrance end with means on said first terminal-strip portion for loosely receiving a lead wire, a second terminal-strip portion projecting outwardly beyond said opposite end and means on said second terminal-strip portion by which the terminal may be grasped to effect movement thereof relative to said terminal block, said through passageway having a height adjacent said entrance end which is only slightly larger than said terminal strip such that upon engagement of a lead wire with said means for loosely receiving same and upon movement of said terminal strip relative to cause said first portion to enter said passageway, said lead wire will be wedged into electrical contact with said terminal strip by the walls of said passageway, and cooperating means on said terminal strip and said terminal block for mAintaining said terminal strip and said terminal block in wedging position, said means being releasable to permit withdrawal of said terminal strip. 